Tuesday, 29 June 2010

"Your name will also go on The List. What is it?" "Don't tell him Pike!"

Heh, that post header will confuse a few people I'm sure. It's from a classic episode of Dad's Army, in case you were wondering, in honour of our truly embarrassing defeat in the World Cup at the hands – or rather feet – of the Germans. I don't really follow football so much, but I did catch some of that match and, Jesus, England were a shambles. Anyway, it's time to look at the comics I'll be getting, or might be getting, or even won't be getting, this week! And I will almost certainly definitely probably be getting these:

Captain America #607 is a cert, as is Garth Ennis' Chronicles of Wormwood: The Last Battle #4, which is nearly-prime (although not quite) Preacher-style Ennis. (I've been mulling over re-reading Preacher soon. God that was a brilliant comic. Whither its like now?) I'll also more than likely get the Invincible Iron Man Annual, as Matt Fraction's Iron Man is well readable, like, and I'll probably get Wonder Woman #600, another anniversary issue from DC. Let's hope it's better than the atrocious Superman #700 from last week, the only high point of which was J. Michael Straczynski's story at the back, and even that wasn't that great (his characterisations of Batman and the Flash were a bit off in my opinion – neither of them would be as offhand as he made them out to be). JMS writes some of this issue too, and then takes over the title, so we'll see what he does with Diana. The last time I enjoyed a Wonder Woman comic was Greg Rucka's run years ago, which was damn fine stuff.

I'll take a look at these too:

Action Comics #890 is Brit writer Paul Cornell's first stab at the title, focusing on Lex Luthor (Superman has been removed from the comic, as he embarks on his trek across America in JMS' Superman). Cornell's a decent writer, best known for his Doctor Who work, and his recent run on Captain Britain was reasonably enjoyable. I might also give Jonathan Ross and Tommy Lee Edwards' Turf #2 a look, although I don't think I ever finished the first issue. Way too wordy, Wossy. Get that man an editor. And there's Death of Dracula #1, which seems to be Marvel's attempt to make sense of vampire mythology within the Marvel Universe. I'm as much a sucker (hey!) for vamps as the next nerd, so I guess I'll take a look-see at it. As for Secret Avengers #2, much as I love Brubaker, I wasn't feeling the first issue of this at all. Might still give this second issue a go though.

Crikey that's a lot of comics. Bit of a big week. Still, I'm up in London on new comics day (Thursday), so I might be able to use a pal's (hello Mart!) Forbidden Planet discount and splurge.

But star of the week, if it turns up, is this, from Fantagraphics:

Norwegian cartoonist Jason's Werewolves of Montpelier. No idea what it's about, but I love Jason's comics (the heartbreaking Hey, Wait..., the thrilling I Killed Adolf Hitler), which are like an anthropomorphic take on early cinema (to the extent that many of his graphic novels are 'silent'). His work is quite unlike anything else around right now, and all the better for it.